


Everyday Dungeon Master

by ReignOfTheIceWitch



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:21:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27466351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReignOfTheIceWitch/pseuds/ReignOfTheIceWitch
Summary: ' How did I get here? What is my... name? 'Waking up as the dungeon master of a small dungeon, it's time for our protagonist to... save the world! No, that's not it. Let's just live a good clean life.A not quite dungeon management story with cute skeletons, demon lords, and angst the protagonist is desperately trying to ignore. A typical not-so-typical isekai story.--------For Royal Road: This work is / has been cross-posted to RoyalRoad under the name 'GlitchJuniper'.
Kudos: 1





	Everyday Dungeon Master

“Is that all you desire? You can be more selfish,” the voice admonishes before heaving a soft sigh. “In fact, please be more selfish.” That same voice sounds exasperated, borderline doting, as it calls out to the empty expanse. Bright stars unmarred by pollution twinkle brightly across the sky as a backdrop for the gently swaying grass that ripples and rolls in picturesque waves across the fields.

 _That is all I want._ A young woman sits in the center of that expanse, staring up at the sky to converse with the deity. Without speaking, the deity understands her, and so she pushes her desire forward without hesitation.

“I’m sorry.” As the heavenly voice apologizes softly, she can only shake her head for her unreasonable request. It’s ‘that’, after all. In summary, ‘Due to certain circumstances, you are being sent to another world as a hero. As compensation, the deity in charge can offer you a blessing.’ Wealth, magic, or even special skills that would make anyone cry, ‘God is truly unfair’ - these were all on the table. The only thing she could not do was give information, neither about who the woman was before nor about what would come after. However, the woman that rejected all those glittering options only stares up at the sky and offers an apologetic smile of her own.

“As a goddess, it is an inviolable rule. I cannot take away someone’s dignity or will, so I can neither force someone to be your friend nor can I create someone who exists to be your loyal friend. You understand, my dear, that free will is not to be trifled with?” As the goddess speaks to her, the woman in the fields nods her head. Although her desire was simple, she had asked for too much. With a soft smile, she shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders, then lies down on the grass in defeat.

“Your desire is rare. I want to commend you. Many would ask for great riches or a castle with a hundred servants, for the power to reshape reality, or to fulfill their childhood fantasies. You… All you asked for was a friend. I’m ashamed.” The woman laughs silently, lips parting as voiceless giggles overtake her. What was there to be ashamed of? Rules were rules. Brushing long, silvery strands of hair out of her face, she pushes herself back into a sitting position.

“I’ll try to do something for you,” the goddess continues, only to see the nameless woman in the fields patting her hand on the ground next to her. The goddess laughs and laughs and laughs and as she laughs, the stars twinkle as if laughing too.

“Did I not tell you to be more selfish? You truly do have rare desires. Very well! As you wish, I will sit next to you.” The woman without a name smiles with delight, immediately enveloping the coalesced stars turned person in a firm embrace. Draped in a robe of starlight and wearing a mask, the goddess lets out a surprised sound as she is captured in a bear hug, then warmly returns the gesture.

“You truly do have such a warm aura, dear. Well then, let us figure out a name for you.” The silhouette of stars lets out another soft laugh as the embrace ends and the silver-haired woman amiably pulls the goddess’ palm upwards. With careful touches, the nameless woman writes with her fingertip.

“Aura. That is what you wish to be called?” Eyes just as silver as the woman’s hair stare back at her firmly, resolute. Like a moon in an ocean of stars, the deity thinks to herself, before scooting a little closer.

“Then Aura it shall be. Let’s enjoy a long conversation.“

**・**

“Oh, [ ] is it? Nice name. Sorry, you can’t keep it.” Even those few, scarce words were beginning to fade as she lays on her back, staring upwards. It was a male voice, rough like sandpaper, though she can’t remember much else. That would be the problem, she cannot remember much of anything. The vague, heavy sensation in her chest grows a little stronger, spreading through her body with an uncomfortable weight.

She blinks, slowly, staring up at the ceiling. Just high enough that she cannot jump to touch it is stone slick with condensation, creating a reflective sheen across the surface. Every so often, the condensation collects enough to form a droplet which breaks free of the slick curtain and makes a faint noise not unlike the higher notes on a piano. The sound is constant, it is no less than rainwater upon a lake, dripping and dripping and dripping. _Drip._ A small droplet lands on her cheek, prompting her to roll to the side and cover her exposed cheek with one light brown hand. Her lips thin as she sighs through her nose, closing her eyes. That she had been able to describe the rainwater like a piano meant that she was not bereft of all memory and sense, but the fleeting comparison had not been deliberate. 

Her eyes open again and she stares out once more. Lying upon a raised rock formation that resembled a dias barely two meters across, she resembles a beached fish. Just a few inches below the platform lies the waterline, a surface upon which the raindrops play their music, and in every direction around her is a dark cave wall. With the closed nature of the space, the artificial rain echoes constantly and leaves everything damp and slick with water. The entire area is dimly lit with small glowing rocks embedded into the floor, ceiling, and walls. That is all there is to this place, water and walls.

She has been staring at the same scenery for days now. A dimly lit space with an endless echo of rainwater. That is all there is to this place. An empty cave, an empty room, and an empty her. She laughs, soft and weak exhales inaudible underneath the rain, then drags herself up.

Licking her chapped lips, she drags herself closer to the edge of the water. The surface of the pool is distorted by ripples, bouncing light in wavering and twisting patterns every which way. Besides the platform she’s on, the rocks here are as dark as pitch or the abyss of space itself, leaving the cave surface above water looking as though it is a night sky. She laughs again as the visual sets in - truly, she feels wrapped in the cloak of rainwater and night, with neither the moon nor the sun to guide her way.

The nameless woman digs her fingernails against the edge of the platform and leans forward slowly, allowing curtains of black hair to dip into the water. Her eyes are as dark as the cave walls, or close enough, though with the rippling of the water and the lighting underneath the surface she can barely get a good look. Besides the waterlogged tunic and trousers she’s wrapped in, a black choker is wrapped around her neck. By running her fingers over the front, she can feel the ridges and bumps of embroidery that form square brackets like a placeholder. As though making a demand, the piece of fabric reappeared on her neck even after she picked and ripped it open with her fingernail.

Staring down at the pool, dripping with sparkling rainwater underneath an artificial sea of stars, she closes her eyes and sighs. A name. It comes to her like the word piano had before, a borrowed concept she knows is right. As she decides, the choker warms against her skin as letters embroider themselves into the front. Frowning, the dark-haired woman flips the choker inside out to hide the lettering. 

_Nyx._

_I will be Nyx._


End file.
